The War of Diablo
by FangskintheWickedOne
Summary: My first story on Fanfiction. Basically sums up the game of Diablo II and expansion pack Lord of Destruction by using characters I made up.


**Well hello, anybody reading this. This is my first story, so if you are a returning user browsing stories or an experienced reader, please, go easy on my work. I would prefer you not mash my story to pieces. If you think something is not written correctly, point it out when you review. I'll try not to mess up too many times…so anyway, here we go….**

Banthalon the Druid was quite agitated. He was sitting, waiting for his partner, Ayren the Sorceress to arrive. The chief reason he was so agitated was the fact that he had been sitting on a stone wall in the Rogue Encampment for two and a half hours, in the pouring rain, because Ayren was so late.

The Rogue Encampment was usually a splendid place to be at night. The cloudless skies above the rocky moors were filled with thousands of brilliant stars. The natural calm and serenity of the southern flatlands charmed many into an easy, dream-filled slumber. But on a night like this, with the driving storm pounding around the camp, nobody could rest. With the rain had come an adhesive mist that was clinging to the very fibers of the leather jerkins the rogue scouts wore. It was, Banthalon thought decisively, _not_ a day to be out on the moors.

Finally, a shape emerged from the mist. The slender, green-clad form of Ayren the Sorceress stalked towards Banthalon, soaking wet and scowling at the relaxed Druid perched on the wall.

"You're somewhat late." Banthalon said grinning as he realized that his heavy furs offered quite a bit more protection from the harsh gales of icy rain than the scantily clad Sorceress' finely crafted silk robes.

"And I suppose you're annoyed with me for being a little slower trekking across this-," she waved her arm at the soaking moorland shrouded beneath the fog, "-godforsaken wasteland!"

"Either way," Banthalon continued, ignoring his partner's obvious rage, "We can't find the Den of Evil tonight. We're going to have to sleep here until the storm gives out. No point in getting soaking wet for nothing." Banthalon grinned again, seeing Ayren's look of disgust as he nonchalantly dismissed her drenched form.

"You impudent little-Ugh!" Giving up on scolding the unquenchable humor of her Druid friend, Ayren wearily crept off to the tent Banthalon had rented from the rogues. Banthalon stayed on the wall for several minutes in thought, until finally agreeing that bed _was _the place to be this wretched night. Little did either of them know about the Assassin who had listened to the entire conversation, creeping back into the shadows to report what she had learned.

* * *

It was a long night. The buffeting rain kept the two bounty hunters awake for a long time. But the entire time, neither of the noticed the shadowy shape moving like a wisp closer...and closer... and closer...always getting nearer and nearer to the tent....

* * *

Suddenly, Banthalon awoke to a scream. He saw Ayren was already awake, already in a fresh new silk gown, carefully creeping towards the tent's entrance, staff in hand. Another scream rent the night. _What in the world is that? _Banthalon was thinking. A third scream, more like an animal yowl this time, split the night like a knife. Which, ironically, is the thing that immediately followed. A throwing knife hurled with wicked strength flew through the night and embedded itself quivering in the wood pole holding the tent up. It was only inches from Ayren's head. A fourth and final animal cry was cut short by a gargling noise as the ground around the base of the tent ran black with the blood of a demon. _What happened just happened here?_Banthalon thought. He and Ayren exchanged glances. By this time she had reached the edge of the tent's canopy, and was staring out in amazement at the scene displayed before her.

"I think you should see this." She said simply, beckoning Banthalon towards the entrance. He marched out to see an assassin, her wrist blades glittering with black demon blood. Then he looked down to a horrible sight. A misshapen demon was lying on the ground, its stomach gored out and its tongue lolling out of its mouth like a shiny black snake. Black demon blood poured out of its mouth and innards, until the horrific beast was saturated in its own sanguinary acid. The despicable beast slowly dissolved into the night air, leaving only a trail of rancid blood behind. Banthalon and Ayren looked up from the apalling mess of disgusting organs to the assassin who slew it.

"This thing...did you...was it trying to kill us?" Ayren finally managed to stammer out.

"Yes it was. Andariel herself, Mistress of Anguish, sent this disfigured demon. I was tracking the activity of lesser demons, such as the Fallen Ones, in this area. I overheard your conversation, but my co-worker said he had to inspect a recent Tomb Viper outbreak near Lut Gholein. I decided I would talk to you in the morning, but this creature found you first. I don't know what would've happened to you if I hadn't intervened..." The assassin trailed off leaving Banthalon gaping at her. Ayren nudged him back to reality with a swift *_thwack*_ of her staff.

"Erm...Thank you. But we don't really know you...could we discuss this further in the morning?" Banthalon sputtered out, "We really need to get our sleep and all..."

"I understand entirely. I will await further conversation at dawn." The business-like assassin stalked off through the slowly lessening rain.

"Hopefully this rain eases up overnight." Banthalon commented coolly.

"Don't pretend you were expecting her any more than I was," Ayren said, chuckling as she walked back into the tent, "I could tell you hadn't a clue about her..." She continued snickering in bed and muttering to Banthalon, but he couldn't hear her. He was thinking over his encounter with the assassin. And, more accurately, trying to decide whether she was friend or foe.

**So? Did you think it was a good start? If you didn't like it, tell me what I should change. If you did like it, tell me what I should keep. Your opinion is important!**


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